Magnetic rotary file

ABSTRACT

Magnetic article supporting means. First and Second wheel shaped magnetic members are rotatably mounted and define a wedge shaped gap between them. A magnet provides a magnetic field in said gap. A plurality of wedge shaped magnetic members are inserted and held in said gap. The wedge shaped members have clips attached thereto, the clips being adapted to hold papers and cards.

United States Patent 11 1 McGannon et a1.

1 1 MAGNETIC ROTARY FILE [75] Inventors: Patrick J. MeGannon; Gloria J. McGannon, both of Oceanside,

[73] Assignee: Patrick J. McGannon and Gloria J.

McGannon, Oceanside, NY.

[22] Filed: June 8, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 368,182

[52] U.S. Cl. 335/285; 211/DIG. 1; 40/686; 40/142 A [51] Int. Cl. "01F 7/20 [58] Field of Search 335/285, 286, 302. 303, 335/306, 295; 40/142 A, 68.6; 211/50, DIG. 1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.195.022 7/1965 Staver 335/285 1 NOV. 4, 1975 Mathiesen 40/686 Dahl, Jr. 40/142 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 667.540 7/1963 Canada 50/686 Primary Examiner-G Harris Attorney, Agent. or FirmJames P. Malone [57] ABSTRACT 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,918,017

FIG!

FIG 3 US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,918,017

FIG 2 MAGNETIC ROTARY FILE This invention relates to magnetic article holding means, more particularly to a rotary magnetic card file.

This Application is an improvement of my U.S. Pat. No. 3,l45,326, granted Aug. 18, I964. The Patent shows a magnetic article holding means for mounting sheets of papers or cards on a generally flat surface.

The present invention is directed to providing rotary magnetic index file means. Conventional rotary index file means generally have a fairly complex mechanical arrangement for holding the cards onto the rotating hub, making the cards difficult to insert and remove. With the present invention, no mechanical connections are necessary since the cards or papers are held on the hub purely by the magnetic field.

More specifically, the present invention provides wheel shaped magnetic members which are mounted to provide a wedge shaped gap containing a magnetic field. The paper or card holding clips have a wedge shaped projection which is adapted to fit into the wedges shaped gap having the magnetic field, the clip being held by the magnetic field. The wedge shaped is used as it makes it easy to insert the holding clips. If the gap was at right angle it would be much more difficult to insert and line up the holding clips in the gap.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide new and improved article holding means.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved magnetic holding means.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved magnetic rotary card index file means.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved article supporting means, comprising, first and second wheel shaped magnetic members, means to rotatably mount said wheel shaped members, said first and second magnetic members defining a wedge shaped gap between them, and means to provide a magnetic field in said gap, whereby a plurality of wedge shaped magnetic members might be inserted and held in said gap.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specifications and drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention, partly in section.

FIG. 2 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4A is a cross sectional view taken along the lines A-A of FIG. 4.

Referring to the Figures, FIG. 1, shows an embodiment of the invention comprising a barrel shaped magnet, 1, which is mounted between two magnetically responsive hubs 2 and 3. The hubs have a wedge shaped annular gap 4 between them. The annular gap 4 contains a magnetic field 5. The magnetic circuit passes through hubs 2 and 3.

The hubs 2 and 3 are mounted on shafts 42 and 43, which are preferably suitably mounted in a frame so that the assembly will rotate on the shaft.

The cards 6 may be connected to the hubs 2 and 3 by means of magnetic wedge shaped clips 7. The clips 7 has a pair of spring members 7', each having an indentation 7a so that the clips 7 will have a good frictional 2 grip on the card 6. The wedge shape provides a self guiding, self aligning arrangement so that it is easy to insert the cards between the hubs 2 and 3. The number of cards may be inserted along the annular gap 4 so as to provide a rotary file index.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention using three permanent magnets 10, 11 and 12, which are mounted for rotation on the shaft 13. The magnets are spaced by non-magnetic spacers 14, 15. The magnets are formed either by machining or casting to provide annular wedge shaped gaps l6 and 17. Each gap contains a magnetic field due to the interaction of the magnets, which are polarized north and south as shown. The shaft 13 is preferably mounted in a stand for rotation.

Cards or papers 18 may be magnetically attached to the hub by means of the clip 20 which has magnetic wedge shaped projection 21 and 22. The clip 20, has a pair of spaced clip members 23 which have indentations or dimples 24, and are of springy material so that they will clamp together and have a good frictional grip on the card or paper 18.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention having a magnet 25 and two non-magnetic hubs 26 and 27 which are mounted by the shaft 28 on frame members F and F1. Knobs 30 and 31 are provided for easy manual rotation of the assembly.

In this arrangement the card clip 32 contacts the ends of the magnet 25 and has a generally U-shaped crosssection. The clip 32 is adapted to grip papers or cards 33.

FIGS. 4 and 4A show another embodiment of the invention comprising an elongated base member 34 which may be of plastic and which is adapted to be mounted on a vertical surface such as a wall. An elongated magnet 35 is secured to the base 34. The magnet 35 may be of plastic with magnetized iron filings and its magnetized so that one side is the north polarity N. and the other side is the south polarity S. The generally U shaped magnetic clip 36 is magnetically connected to the magnet 35. The clip 36 has a pair of paper holding fingers 37 which are adapted to grip cards or papers 38. A number of clips 36, may be magnetically attached to the magnet 35 providing a convenient wall mounted paper and card holding device.

The magnets used in the present invention may be made from various magnetic materials, such as, Alnico material. The magnets may be machined or cast to the desired shape for efficient manufacturing.

Therefore, the present invention provides a magnetic rotary card or paper filing wherein the cards or papers may be easily inserted into the magnetic hub. The clips may hold the cards or papers by friction or by other mechanical connections, such as stapling.

We claim:

1. Article supporting means comprising,

first and second wheel shaped magnetic members,

means to rotatably mount said wheel shaped members,,

said first and second magnetic members defining a wedge shaped gap between them,

and means to provide a magnetic field in said gap,

whereby a plurality of wedge shaped magnetic members might be inserted and held in said gap.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said wedge shaped member have clips attached thereto, said clips being adapted to hold papers and cards.

4 6. Article supporting means comprising. a cylindrical magnet having beveled ends, means to rotatably mount said magnet, a generally U-shaped member adapted to fit over the ends of said magnet and be held thereon by magnetic force. 

1. Article supporting means comprising, first and second wheel shaped magnetic members, means to rotatably mount said wheel shaped members,, said first and second magnetic members defining a wedge shaped gap between them, and means to provide a magnetic field in said gap, whereby a plurality of wedge shaped magnetic members might be inserted and held in said gap.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said wedge shaped member have clips attached thereto, said clips being adapted to hold papers and cards.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means to produce a magnetic field is a magnet placed between first and second magnetic members.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said magnet and said first and second magnetic members form two wedge shaped gaps, each containing a magnetic field.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said first and second magnetic members are magnets.
 6. Article supporting means comprising, a cylindrical magnet having beveled ends, means to rotatably mount said magnet, a generally U-shaped member adaptEd to fit over the ends of said magnet and be held thereon by magnetic force. 